Going to Granada was amazing. It was a small trip--just me and one friend from the program going to visit a friend from home. Not traveling alone was nice. After Italy it was good to have a trip where figuring out buses and transfers wasn't a solo operation. Not to mention we understood Spanish, which helped even more. If you ever get the chance to stay at a pension I would say to seriously consider it. I opted to book the pension instead of a hostel, because it was closer to my friend and about the same cost. What a great decision. We had our own room, it was quiet, and tucked away right by the university residence where she lived. The only downside was we got completely lost trying to find our way back because no one had heard of the street (yep, when I say tucked away I mean it). I guess the other downside was the accordion player who decided to perform at the exact same time as our daily siestas--but I have to admit I grew to...like him. I can't say love because some of his songs were really annoying. But mostly it was charming. Mostly. To the actual city. Other than the rain, it was amazing. The Alhambra was beautiful, and with the rain there weren't as many people there (going off season has its benefits at times!) As amazing as that was though, I would have to say it was the little things that made the visit. Going out to tapas at a vegetarian bar (veggie burger? yum. curry tofu tapa? yum. eco-wine from the region? yum.) There was definitely the smell of pot mixed with body odor when you walked in...but in a charming hippie way...you probably have to be at least a little hippie to understand how that could be charming, but just trust me. Oh, the nice thing about Granada? Every time you order a drink (soda, wine, beer...basically anything but water) you get free tapas. Other than the curry tofu, which was delicious, I would have to say the eggplant with honey was my favorite (sounds weird? try it, right now). Tapas hopping, the botellón (drinking in the street), and the Alhambra are all nice, and they are great typical Granada experiences. My favorite moment though? Hiking up into the olive groves to watch the sunset. Being in Valencia is wonderful, but it was really refreshing to see trees and mountains again. And green. So much green. And the view was stunning. The company was genial (first word that came to my head...translates to 'great' or 'brilliant'). As it turns out, uncured olives not so great--actually they are really bad. But did I mention the view? I did. Well you should see it for yourself... Breathtaking, isn't it? And this too... Not as breathtaking in the photo--but rows and rows of olive groves is pretty stunning.
Basically, it is the little things that you wouldn't find in a guidebook that made this trip so great. Getting lost and asking what felt like every shop owner for directions, getting lost and walking the long way back (hmm..pattern?), walking around the various neighborhoods with one of my best friends, and hiking up into the olive groves, followed by some delicious tea at a Moroccan tea house. Granada felt a little bit like home. A larger, European (more specifically Spanish) version of home. But in some strange hippie and mountainous way, it reminded me of C'ville. Then again, who am I kidding? Nothing could ever live up to C'ville for me. Hasta luego!
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Claire AngelineI am traveling the world from October 2017-October 2018, and the plan is to visit all seven continents. I'm a vegetarian foodie, a baker, a dance enthusiast, a nonprofit co-founder, and a huge travel addict. When I'm not traveling I'm putting my MPH to good use and doing public health research. Archives
September 2016
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